'Twasn't even six months ago that we hosted a vote to decide the Financial District's new name as real estate brokers were questioning the neighborhood's very commercial viability. "The Harborfront" edged out "DoBo" (as in "Downtown Boston") and smoked other contenders, like "Chiofaria" (as in developer Don Chiofaro) and "Dollartown" (as in exactly what it sounds like).
New would-be neighborhood names have now been put forward as the Financial District looks to have rounded a commercial corner. Nothing spectacular, really—it's basically picked up some of the frozen-out late-comers to other, hotter markets, like Back Bay and (of course) the Innovation District. In fact, those markets had looked to be rendering the Financial District not only an also-ran for commercial real estate, but damn near obsolete.
Still! It's not just newer office tenants, like PayPal at Chiofaro's International Place, but newer retail tenants, too, that have helped the district. Per Casey Ross at The Globe: "The British prepared-foods store Pret A Manger recently opened at the renovated 50 Post Office Square (formerly 185 Franklin St.). The chef and owner of Les Zygomates in the Leather District is building a new restaurant, Society on High, at 99 High St. And Chiofaro Co., manager of International Place, has announced plans to open The Palm, a steak house that will have outdoor seating."
Thus the continued push for a rebranding. The newest new-neighborhood-name contenders? "Waterfront Business District" and "Downtown Business District." Not tickling your PowerPoint? Let us know your own suggestions in the comments or by email. Reminder: "Dollartown" has been done.
· New Businesses Alter Boston's Financial District [Globe]
· Time to Rename the Financial District! [Curbed Boston]
· Let's All Rename the Financial District! [Curbed Boston]